Spirits
by Tarawyn
Summary: (Retitled Spirits) When given the choice to live on as something not quite human, Lily and James Potter left the world they had known for what they felt was best. But when duty calls them to come back and to Hogwarts, how long can they stay hidden?
1. An Unexpected Visitor

**A/N:** I actually have started a real fic...really! Based off of a theme in P.A.R The Bonds That Tie (go read it, now, or I will...do something evil), what if those killed by Avada Kedavra and other dark curses were given the chance to live after their deaths, even if what they were doing was not quite living? We'd have a whole lot of confusion, that's what. This is not a "come back to life" story, far from it, but it has them alive...sort of...okay, I'm going to stop trying to explain and just let you read and figure it out for yourself.  
  
**Disclaimer:** Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please _e-mail_ me and we'll talk.  
  
  
**Chapter One: An Unexpected Visitor**  
  
It was a bright day, foliage gleaming, flowers fresh in bloom. The summer had only recently begun, and there was none of the extreme heat or cold that was almost routine when it came to the suburban area. The sun shone loftily in a cloudless, rich blue sky that was a rare occasion. A large handful of children were in the midst of playing in the park, but they were hardly the only ones there on such a day.   
  
"Hey!" A young woman by the name of Lily Potter was, in a matter of speaking, being attacked. That is, if being ticked was considered an attack, and Lily certainly seemed to think so. "Get off!" The words were followed by a streak of giggles.  
  
The offender, James Potter, replied in his own manner by continuing. His way was to pester, and the mischievous gleam in his eye would have suggested that to any stranger. He was barely surpressing his own laughter. Lily, a mastermind who could have rivaled his mischief if she was willing, wisely decided to duck out of harm's way, and then, not so wisely, began to tickle James herself. It was the typical behavior of young lovers, so no one took any notice of the pair. Even if they had, they would not have had a strong grasp on what they were doing, for reasons unknown but to a few.  
  
About five minutes later, the two, red and flustered, retreated into the shade. "Will you ever grow up?" Lily asked James teasingly.   
  
"You were doing the same," he replied, in the same tone. There was the hint English accent in both voices, but it wasn't very noticeable to the outsider. Then, his playful manner dropping altogether, he said, "We have, in a way. You know."   
  
Words failed them as they looked back to the past, somehow longing for normalcy, despite the pleasant aspect to their enjoyment now. In spite of themselves, they missed it all: their friends, their lives, and most of all, their child. But they had decided long ago that it would be best to leave the things they had known to themselves rather than watch and be unable to intervene.   
  
Intervening. It was something that they did on an everyday basis, as far as dark matters went. That was their job, now: protecting the ones unable to protect themselves from the dark, and guiding others away from it. They couldn't do so _directly_, of course, but the subtle art of disguise was quite helpful in the case. Also, the main subjects of their hindering were unknown to those who might have been intrigued.  
  
Of course, it was an odd sort of thing for anyone to do, but most people were, generally, not dead. They themselves were victims to death, but were very far from being dead. They still had possession of their soul, and also had a type of magic that was unexplainable and unfathomable, regardless whether the subject was magic or Muggle.  
  
"Isn't that Cedric?" Lily said suddenly, half startled, breaking the silence that had descended. James looked up, somewhat startled as well. It _was_ Cedric, Cedric Diggory and that was what had startled him. They only knew who he was through a bone-chilling series of events part of their spirit had been drawn to, only a month or so before, and they had very little idea of what was going on. _If_ they had stayed in Britain, where they had died, they would have known everything flatly, but there had been a reason for them to let the past be. The shadow they had joined with had been perfectly aware of what was going on; they had not. The only thing they had been able to identify was that someone who was most likely their son was in the midst of Priori Incantem with a person who was no stranger to themselves and that had struck all their knowledge blind. Not to mention the fact that the knowledge they had recieved on the spot was so hopelessly muddled it might as well have been Arabic. To be blunt, they had a grasp of what might have been going on, but hadn't had enough to think that any of it could be serious.  
  
The would-be seventeen year old approached them, a look of worry across his face. "Lily...James...could you...er...come back to England? Preferably...er...now?" His half stuttering was not very surprising; he had been one of those who had assumed them dead and gone for quite more than a few years.   
  
Lily stared. England could only mean one thing, in their case; their help was needed in something or another and it was too big to leave their own Circle. James, who was quick to compose himself, said, "Why? What's wrong?"   
  
Cedric tottered tentively. "A lot happened...and it's impossible for you to understand here...coming back, you can find out, and it's just impossible to explain..."  
  
"A little background?" Lily, who had overcome a considerable amount of shock, was now somewhat skeptical.  
  
Once again, he paused, this time a bit more controlled. "Well...it's him. Voldemort. That night..."  
  
There was no further explanation neccesary. "All right," James breathed, "But why do you want us back?"  
  
A third pause, and then, "It's a long story that's impossible to explain."  
  
"We know that," said Lily, her voice edged with slight impatience.   
  
"Lily, we should go. This is just wasting our time, you know." Though Lily had originally been the sensible one, she also had never wished to complete a task without explanation. At some points, it was a very good qualities; at others, it was tiresome.  
  
"Then shall we?" The three, still in the shadow of the tree, slowly and unsuspectingly faded into the background, until they were gone altogether.  
  
  
  



	2. Choosing a Path

**A/N:** Quickest update...less than 15 minutes after originally posted. I realize that this gets off to a pretty slow start, so I've decided to grant the non-existant readers another chapter ^_^;; A little more background in this chapter, if anything was confusing...  
  
**Disclaimer:**Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please e-mail me and we'll talk.   
  
  
**Chapter Two: Choosing a Path**  
  
"Oh, my."   
  
The two words were a good summation of the last five minutes. They had reappeared on the edge of their base forest, and there Lily's questions had been answered. Though the odd telepathy that was moreover accepted rather than explained, Cedric had given the two a reasonable explanation of why they were needed. The basics themselves were so fantastical the only thinkable reaction to the words was to stare. The odd rush of thoughts of a month before was now confirmed, and they were not the things that one would wish to be informed were true.   
  
"He's back...oh, God...what can we do..." Lily had taken the news very badly. She was, after all, rational, and when you hear that someone who killed you and, due to some reason, was dead, is alive once more, a natural response is to go into shock.  
  
"Lil, calm down." James was, as in most situations of the sort, keeping his head. "So he's back? We have our job set out for us..."  
  
Cedric, expecting reactions of the sort, replied, "We're having a council. That was why we wanted you here. Most people don't stay, so there aren't that many left here. About twenty, maybe. There's a handful of old Aurors, maybe five or six, quite a few kids, and another who's in his teens. Most of the ones who would be from around here didn't choose..."  
  
"Choosing" was a term used for the choice of spiritual life, which was what they had entered. As Spirits, they had their forms as had been at death, and were expected to use a set of powers assigned by a mixture of their past and chance to the benefit of the light side. The dark side had their own counterpart of Spirits, the Roamers, as they were called, but their job was not quite clearly defined. A Spirit's job was to guide those on the brink of darkness to light, and to protect the light side from dangers unseen to the ordinary eye. Roamers, on the other hand, were almost like imps, wreaking havoc wherever it would be beneficial to dark. The only real familiarity was the choice: whether to die or to live on. The choice was only applicable to those who had died through complex and dark magic.  
  
The silence was broken by Lily. "The meeting," she said slowly.   
  
The short walk to the Center Circle, as their meeting place was called, took place in an odd and tight sort of silence. There was still the waning shock of what had happened, and added to that was the strangeness of returning to a place that was familiar, yet the differences were somehow shocking in mind.  
  
When arriving at the Circle, they were met by the small crowd mentioned: Elana Rowan, head of their group by nature, who had been killed, at chance, by Salazar Slytherin at age sixteen, had been the first Spirit in five thousand years at her own Choosing, and was presently equivilent in age as if she was in her late thirties; Rachel Harley, Jackson Thomas, Alexander Mitchei, Kenneth Bones, and Janna Prewett, all Aurors, and, with the exception of Alexander (who had fallen victim to Grindelwald), all killed by Voldemort; six Muggles, the only ones of their kind killed who had not chosen death in fright; two twin eleven year olds, both girls, who were new to the council and slightly confused; a teenager of about fifteen or sixteen who could have easily been their older brother; and then about five who were under the age of eight and were not acutely aware of what was taking place. All but the youngest sat (or levitated, in the case of the twins) in a small circle punctuated by stones in each cardinal direction.  
  
Elana cleared her throat and silence fell. Elana had the same sort of quality that Dumbledore held, as of holding attention and respect: neither could be denied those aspects.   
  
"You all know why the meeting has been called. As it is impossible not to have, unless you didn't comprehend, I don't believe I need to elaborate. What we need to discuss is our duties and how we will fufill them." As a rule, the woman had no intention of mincing words. While her style of speech was, because of her time period, slightly more coordinated, she would only say as much as she meant and nothing more. The style of a language was a mixture of position and of her birth.  
  
Kenneth was the first to speak. "For protection, we should put ourselves on guard in large areas." The man was very sensible and also straight to the point. "The train station, bus terminals, airports, maybe some landmarks. Any place that they might strike."  
  
One of the Muggles, who, oddly enough, shared Kenneth's name, nodded in agreement and added, "The dates, we'll need them to organize how many of us should go to what places."  
  
"Easily obtainable," said Elana, who eyed both in satisfaction. "Are there any other suggestions?"  
  
One of the twin girls raised her hand tentively, to which the fifteen year old gave her some sort of quick explanation. She quickly put it down, but spoke nonetheless: "Could we try to help some people who would let us? We wouldn't have to tell them about anything, but people would need our help, and we're _supposed_ to help them."  
  
Elana, in her own way, gave her an encouraging smile. "A good idea, Margaret, but the only place that would accept would be," and, as she realized what she was saying, an understanding flowed through all, "Hogwarts..."  
  
Both Lily, James, and Cedric, who had been watching in extreme interest but had done nothing to separate themselves from the group, jumped up in unison. The result was for Elena and Alexander to laugh, but the ones younger didn't quite understand, and, in contrast, the last victims did perfectly. Cedric had barely left Hogwarts and had never really had the chance of a goodbye, and Lily and James...well, that was even more easily detectable.  
  
As soon as the laughter had faded, which was reasonably quickly, Elena nodded and said, "I think we've found our delegates, have we not?" At this, all of the adults, including the trio and not to mention the teenager, laughed as well. The twins seemed to understand, but didn't see the joke, and the younger ones were oblivious.  
  
"For those who aren't going to Hogwarts, you need to work out more detailed plans...Anna, Margaret, John...does that sound all right?...you'll all need disguises, if you're going to be seen by anyone..." The rest of the meeting was a bit of a blur, adreneline having claimed victims. Though spirits alone, with body only as much as their mental magic could obtain, it was impossible to say there was no mixture of strong emotions. There had not been anything of this scale for nearly fourteen years, and, while having work was not something which had proven good in the past, it was an improvement from the overriding sameness in their daily patterns. Excitement of what was to come was not missing in the Circle, though there was some apprehension mixed in. Regardless of any emotions, by the time the meeting had concluded all were in the sort of mood one could only get from planning things of great magnitude. There was now only one thing left: to put the plans into action.  
  
  



	3. Of Appearences and Former Friends

**A/N:** Back again...miss me? You shouldn't, I posted less than 24 hours ago. We're actually starting to get to the point here...  
NOTE: As mentioned somewhere in chapter one, Spirits have access to all knowledge once in their own country. That's how they know about Sirius. They also can tell a lot about someone by looking at them, but in most cases do not overuse their knowledge. VERY important for the future. SPECIAL THANKS to Kav (KaitzeeDaysi) for beta-ing this chapter!  
  
**Disclaimer: **Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please e-mail me and we'll talk.  
  
  
**Chapter Three: Of Appearences and Former Friends**  
  
"Appearance, appearance..."   
  
The three were now sitting alone, as the meeting had ended. They were the only ones who had not immediately begun their travels, as there was a bit more to their job than staying unnoticed. They would have to convince Dumbledore to trust them, and _without_ him learning of who they are. If they could manage something of that magnitude, it would be a near miracle. Now that all their plans were set, it was high time to attempt to put it to use.  
  
"We should do our own. I refuse to trust James with my appearance. The last time I did that, I ended up looking like my old neighbor's dog." Lily's words were met with another round of laughter, which was a general part of a spirit's existence. Because they had died, the world was now in another perspective, which overlapped that of their former.  
  
"And nothing like our own," Cedric said thoughtfully, "Because any memory probably won't work in our favor."  
  
Methodically, they began. It was simple, really: the only object necessary was to concentrate on whatever the form they wished to take. The only problem that was ever encountered was distraction, which, more often than not, occurred in the youngest's, and therefore, not as likely to be assigned something of the sort, case.   
  
As time slowly passed, differences became visible in all three. Lily's hair, brilliant red, inched into a very light brown, as her eyes slowly mixed into a darkened aquamarine. James' unruly hair became straight and grew slightly as the now dark brown strands fell into his now silver eyes. Cedric, who not only had to change appearance but also age, took the form of about twenty three, with sand-colored hair and odd, brown streaked eyes.  
  
"I don't think anyone could recognize us," Lily commented. "But the point is to look _inconspicuous_. Could you have done a _little_ better?"  
  
Cedric shook his head with a grin. "Books are very good for inspiration, did you know?"  
  
She groaned. "I didn't think that The Dark is Rising was _that_ good."  
  
His grin grew wider. "It wasn't."  
  
James, who had been in a mixture of thought and reaccepting knowledge, intervened. "We can't tell anyone _anything_...what if we make a mistake? There's no way to prevent that..."  
  
"I think that we should be safe," Cedric responded. "As long as we don't give ourselves any sign of knowing things we shouldn't. For a start, that Black is innocent, and the Tournament. And if anyone asks how we know that Voldemort is back, it's because our friend was told and notified us. That should be enough to keep them occupied."  
  
Elana chose this moment to reappear. "You're still here, lucky enough. I don't think we covered one very important part of the mission." Her voice contained a tone of a different sort of importance, suggesting she shouldn't be interrupted. She nodded at their appearances and continued. "As a general rule, you aren't going to be following some of the rules. It's fair enough. The Roamers have started to break theirs, and we have some layaway until they return to their own. For the most part, the only rule, which you will break, is the rule of intervention. You may and _should_ intervene in human affairs, as long as you keep yourself hidden. This may be difficult, but it is vital. A very reliable source has informed us that there is almost no support in the living, and no knowledge. Rather, unaccepted knowledge. You are to go no further than is necessary. Understood?" She said this all considerably fast.  
  
Rather dumbly, the three nodded. The "rules", as she had put them, were much deeper than a set of restrictions and consequences. Moreover, it was a type of taboo: doing anything out of the line would not result in punishment, but it was unthinkable to do so. Naturally, the Roamers did so all the time, but the Spirits were much more respective of the tradition-like setting. Only when ordered by the head of a Circle would a Spirit do something of the type, and even then such would only be done in extreme circumstances. An order like this had only happened once before--the battle of Slytherin, and that had been the greatest and most painful battle between Dark and Light in the history of time. As well as striking them speechless, it had also left an ominous feeling about them of what was to come. Other taboos were observed in similar seriousness, but were occasionally broken, depending on the Circle head.  
  
The woman, however, was not stupid, and had sensed their unease. "Come, now, don't think like that. This is only as a precaution. You _will_ be doing something that isn't quite within line, but it's preferable to them all dying, correct? Do you want a force ten times as big?"  
  
The effect of her words was to leave Cedric, if not them all, in even more worry. "No...But..." It was hard to find the words to express the thoughts that were running through all of them. To intervene in a world which they had left, perhaps for the better, and to relive the things they had thought best forgotten...  
  
As usual, Elana understood what was left unsaid. To a point, she was closest to them all; she understood things about them that only their best friends could have. "It's hard," she said, slightly more gentle, "But for the best. Even if you cannot interact with those around you, wouldn't you prefer it than to having them join you, or possibly not?"  
  
There was another moment of silence, which, considering the fact that they now had all of time, was common. Living forever in this manner was not something to enjoy. It was a choice made by the young, and no others; the wisdom of their years led them to a more sensible decision. Watching the world go by, watching everything you had known fade into nothingness, and to return again and again, was painful. Still, Elana had been saying something between the words, in a way of silent praise as well as a soft chides; they had gotten this far, and had no other choice but to continue.   
  
"That should be enough, then," Elana said, voice breaking the silence without shattering it. "Briana, William, and Alexander," she spoke, using the names they had created for themselves, " You're free to go. Kindly attempt to reappear either at the gates or within the forest? It won't be easy to stay inconspicuous if you reappear in an Anti-Apparition zone. And good luck, as far as you can take the term!"  
  
She vanished at these words. 'Briana' took 'William's hand and said, "Well, here goes nothing." The three, for the second time of the day, disappeared in unison.  
  


***

The group reappeared in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, as had been asked. While the forest might give a sense of gloom to others, it was quite nice to them. For one thing, they were already dead, and therefore could not get hurt or killed. For another, the little familiarity with the area was comforting, in a way that would not be painful.   
  
Or, at least, would not have been, if it wasn't for two inhabitants which caused slight discomfort to Lily and James and left Cedric feeling somewhat lost and in the place of an outsider.  
  
In fact, only one of the two was human by appearance, and one was in actuality--though their positions were in fact switched. A very large, black dog and a werewolf by the name of Remus Lupin were in careful trek in a direction which could only be the Hogwarts grounds.  
  
With the immediately instinctive common sense the trio made themselves invisible at once. Not for the first time, James and Lily both felt an overpowering relief of the odd magic-like abilities graced to them as spirits. It simply would not do to have their friends recognize them in one way or another.  
  
_"Now what do we do?"_ The voice of Cedric reverberated through their heads, snapping them back into consciousness.  
  
_"Take another path?"_ James suggested silently.  
  
_"I can't believe you two!"_ Lily scoffed. As if proving a point, she paused and then continued, _"Reappear at the gates, for God's sake!"_  
  
James and Cedric shared a sheepish look (not really exchanged, as neither could see the other) and did as Lily had suggested. Once in sight, she continued her lecture, this time out loud. "Honestly..."  
  
James mocked a glare. "Oh, _Briana_, give it a rest." He punctuated his remark by kissing her on the cheek. While not seeming to mind the kiss, Lily responded with the same look, "It's true enough, _William_..."  
  
Cedric, who, by now, was beginning to get a bit more than annoyed at the antics of the two. He eyed the very familiar grounds as he saw the two they had seen before reappear from the forest. Both Lily and James followed his example. Professor Dumbledore--for some reason, he still thought of the man as a teacher--had met them, and was now in quick and quiet conversation. Ignoring his two companions, who were now laughing over something or another, he advanced his gaze across the familiar grounds.  
  
_Remember_, he coached himself, _ You're Alexander Matten. English father and American mother, went to a private school for magic in Connecticut, wherever that is, and are with those two to offer help. Like you'll need that much anyway._ The last thoughts set a small smile on his face; "those two" seemed very pleasantly oblivious to their surroundings. Deciding that he'd been gentle enough, he embarked himself into their thoughts.  
  
_"Now that you've decided to look up, could we continue?"_  
  
Both had a sheepish look upon hearing his words. _"Er..."_ James began.  
  
Cedric laughed, relieved. _"It's fine, just try not doing that too much. Suspicion."_  
  
Relieved, the three trekked across the lawn, letting silence overtake them. Dumbledore, who was still in deep conversation with man and dog, didn't seem to realize they were there, but as they neared, he lifted his head and motioned them over.  
  
Immediately, it was obvious that both Remus and the dog that was Sirius were deeply suspicious of them. Not that any of the three could blame them, but, for 'Briana' and 'William', it was a hard-struck blow. So was reading their characters: a deep pain seemed to flow off of them both. None of the three attempted to read Dumbledore; as with Elana, it was sheer impossibility.  
  
"And who might you be?" His voice didn't seem to hold much surprise, or suspicion, which was far from expected. In fact, all had the strangest idea, impossible yet: that he knew.  
  
"William and Briana Parre and Alexander Matten, sir," James said crisply. The contrast in his voice only minutes before, filled with laughter, to the professionalism of his current tone, was shocking."We came to speak with you about a certain..._issue_." He put emphasis on his words, suggesting plainly what the issue was without crossing any border.  
  
"Ah," said Dumbledore, his eyes truly unreadable. The sparkle was faint, mixed with sorrow, but was there all the same. "I believe this will take some time. Perhaps it'd be best if you came to my office..."  
  
The reaction given was nothing short of a miracle. _"Does he know?"_ Lily's voice was lined with anxiety. It was hard enough being here, with friends so close and yet out of reach, but if he already _knew_...  
  
_"We'll find out soon enough," _replied Cedric in a tone of reassurance, but the truth was he was wondering about it himself. They followed Dumbledore slowly, nervousness slowly sinking in, and a wordless decision was made. At least for now, it would not be enough to act their character; they would have to attempt to become it.  
  
  
  
**Reviews:  
  
Kay:** *Red* Really? You seem to like it better than I do. I agree that The Bonds That Tie is good...very good. P.A.R is a good writer.  
  
**AngelOnFire:** Er...are you feeling all right? I'm going to take that as a compliment...because I don't know what else it could be o_O  
  
**Kaitzee:** Kav, you figured it out! Amazing! *Rolls eyes* I don't think this would _work_ if that didn't happen. Slow start: we don't get anywhere near the plot for a considerable while. Thanks a bunch, my Potter-Sister...those boards are REALLY annoying, aren't they? And thanks a ton for beta-ing...  
  
**VyingQuill:** Thanks! 


	4. Trusting and Trustless

**A/N:** Welcome to another wonderful chapter of Spirits...I need a better title ^_^;; I'm sorry this chapter's taken so long, but I'm lacking in time...and finals are coming up soon, along with term papers and all...I'm sorry! *Runs away* We have some laughter in this chapter...I can rhyme! Sort of!  
  
**Disclaimer:** Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please e-mail me and we'll talk. _(Original, isn't it?)_  
  
  
**Chapter Four: Trusting and Trustless  
  
** The short walk seemed to take forever. The spirits were becoming increasingly more nervous, their old friends, increasingly suspicious, and Dumbledore seemed to have decided the matter was more for cheer than for harm. Trying to ease feelings was somewhat pointless, as every possible concievable thought was enough to bring up the worry again. The empty castle did no help in controlling their emotions.  
  
They were now searching for news of the others, for it would be, bluntly, impossible for them to attend meetings if they were to be on constant guard. Unfourtunately, this was not any help on their mood in the slightest.  
  
_"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."_ Lily, under the strain of pressure, was becoming increasingly easier to upset.  
  
_"Come on, Bri,"_ James consoled, _"They can't just let anyone find out, can they?"_  
  
_"I said you could call me Briana, not Bri!"_ she snapped. Her temper was getting the best of her.  
  
_"Calm down, you two!"_ As it seemed, the trio was only a trio half of the time. The other half, they were two bickering children and a peacemaker. _"We'll never get anything done if we're always arguing. Lily, they can't just let the information out yet, that would be dangerous. James, this really isn't the time for jokes. We need to do this perfectly, unless you want a repeat of the summer?"_ Despite of his age, Cedric was now the maturest of the three. There was a simple reason for this: he wasn't being triggered by personal memories. Yes, there were memories, but no _people_, the strongest trigger. Lily and James immediately fell silent at the sharpness in his words.  
  
Everything was as it had been left, in the case of all; Hogwarts was not a place for changes. With walking to Dumbledore's office came a change in the silence; from one of apprehension to a half relief. At any rate, the apprehension faded to a point where they were not worried about their every move, which might have had something to do with Elana. Elana was..._evasive_ to some of the less meaninglful taboo-like traditions followed by others. For example, as in this case, she showed no shame in transversing emotions. Although, at the current time, none of them quite minded.  
  
As they reached the gargoyle which marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office, he turned to their companions of man and supposed dog. "Could you be bothered to wait a few minutes? I believe this might be best conducted alone."  
  
Looks of suspicion were exchanged. Lily, James, and Cedric let out inaudible groans as if at the drop of a hat; their timing as of completing their task was not going to be impressive in Elana's eyes, more so considering the others had already started. _"They don't have to consult anyone, lucky ones."_ The comment was silently agreed to.  
  
After a few minutes of quiet arguing between the two others, encouraged by looks of the dog, the group was reduced to four. The tension returned as they descended up the moving stairway. At the bank, Dumbledore moved in front. The office, which all three had been in at some point, had not changed much at all; Lily and James were very interested in the sword and the information with it, but otherwise there was nothing to comment on, nothing to examine, nothing to do except wait.   
  
_"Ah, yes, where should we begin?"_  
  
There was a slight commotion as the three jumped instinctively, surprise overwhelming any emotions that might have been flowing. If they had cared to look, there was a bright sparkle in his eye, but they were too shocked to do much besides stare.  
  
_"It's not that surprising, is it?"_ Dumbledore had an amused sort of smile, very common for him, more so in times when no one else quite understood. Such was the case now; the others had not broken their stares. _"It's actually a gift, to tell the truth. Not quite common, but it is a gift."_  
  
Lily, who was now wearing a look of slight horror, spoke, voice slightly quivering. "What---how---but---you know?"  
  
The amused smile remained, which gave some slight unease. "Nothing to worry about," he replied, thankfully switching to ordinary speaking, "Only what I've been told." The words did not do much to ease their minds.  
  
He swept swiftly out of the way--amazing, for a man of his age--and revealed Margaret, her twin _(Anna)_ and their older brother _(John)_, looking slightly embarrassed yet oddly proud. "A short summation of your purpose was all I was told, no need for worries."  
  
Margaret and Anna looked wholly embarassed on the entire matter, but John was somewhat more at ease. "Elana," he said, as if it was a whole explanation (which, as a matter of fact, it was).   
  
Cedric stiftled a laugh as Lily, Margaret, and Anna quietly giggled. James, staying in perfect character, had no reaction, and Dumbledore, to no surprise, looked highly amused.   
  
Once they had regained some control of their senses, James began to speak again. "We wanted to offer our help, and it seemed best that we would ask you first," he said steadily. "Just patrolling the grounds, and such. Watching out for the students safety without the use of the likes of dementors." For the occasion, the gift of acting suited him well. There was nothing to say that he wasn't the professional man who he played, with swift words and coordinated expressions.  
  
"I see." Dumbledore studied him for a swift minute, and it was as he was being searched inside and out. The man, however, seemed to be satisfied, for he lowered his voice and then continued:  
  
"If you know of this, then it's best to take care to keep yourself hidden. Needless to say, the Ministry is not very helpful at the current time, and would do his best to incriminate you."  
  
_"I'd like to see him try,"_ Lily murmured, not really paying much attention as to controlling her thoughts.  
  
_"Miss Parre, unfourtunately, there is no way to discourage him. We have all tried. He is simply too stubborn to change his ways."_ Lily's reaction was very easily decipherable; her face was covered with an expression that read easily, _want to bet?_ James couldn't help but crack a smile, and Cedric was edging on laughter once more, this time joined by John. However, Dumbledore remained serious.  
  
"Comments are not due to be helpful currently, and we have very little time for dispute." His eyes trailed on the door, and Cedric read his mind immediately. "You want us to talk to the two we walked here with?" he asked, once again in a game of choosing words.  
  
With a raised eyebrow, he nodded. James cast a glance at Anna, who immediately headed towards the door and disappeared. The office once again fell into a tense silence, this time of apprehension. Time seemed to fade as heads turned to where Anna had left. Margaret was at the least ease, having not made a sound since her brothers words of confirmation. John, in realization, rested his hand on her shoulder, and she relaxed slightly.  
  
Somehow, when Anna returned, the office was even more tense than before. Remus (and Sirius, though he was still a dog) were eyeing them warily, Lily and James were looking down, Cedric was exchanging glances with John which made it clear they would both rather be anywhere else, and Anna and Margaret were casting glances from one person to the next. Dumbledore, as expected, was first to speak.  
  
"As we are all aware of the situation, and some more than others," he began, glancing at the odd sort of crowd, none of whom seemed to trust the others, "There is no reason to waste time discussing it. We are all on the same side, and must act like it. You _must_ trust each other." The remarks were mostly directed at Remus (and, of course, Sirius). Dumbledore had always seemed to sense everything, and the fact that the majority of them were Spirits did not deter him in the least.   
  
To be fair, the thoughts of those in the office were far from the same. James and Lily were both in a mix of harsh memories and wishes, Cedric was wondering about how things had gotten to the point in which they stood, Anna and Margaret were both somewhat aggravated by the lack of trust, not to mention the fact that they had been in the office for at least three hours at the current time, and John was plainly paying only as much attention as was neccesary. Remus, on his part, looked very far from trusting any of them, and the dog that was Sirius looked as confused as a dog could ever be.  
  
It seemed as if the suspicious silence went on for hours, though it barely lasted a minute. Finally, he nodded, though very slowly. Lily and James shared identically grim expressions. Both Margaret and Anna, abandoning all pretense, sat down.  
  
"Alexander, William, and Briana will be keeping watch around the school, if I am not mistaken," Dumbledore continued, at least halfway satisfied with Remus' agreement. "Perhaps this will limit any--ah--incidents."   
  
_"If we don't, Elana will be after our blood,"_ Lily commented dryly. Anna and Margaret started giggling, as girls of their age tend to do, and were rewarded with odd looks from Remus (Sirius was still in the state of confusion).  
  
"Perhaps we should keep our comments _spoken_," Dumbledore said with some degree of sterness. Anna and Margaret broke out in giggles again.  
  
"Anna, Margaret, shut up." This comment came from John, and seemed to be only semi-effective; they quieted down, but continued with their giggles. John just rolled his eyes, as did Cedric.  
  
"Maybe, just maybe, we should _listen_ to Mr. Dumbledore?" Lily said sarcastically. It was a mistake: the twins no longer had any sense of control and errupted. John brought his hand to his forehead.   
  
"It's quite fine," said Dumbledore, more amused than before. John, most obviously, did not share his views. He was giving his sisters impatient looks. This might not have been a good idea; they appeared to be giggling harder than before. Cedric was losing patience, as was James. Lily simply murmured things under her breath, most of them sounding very much like, "Dear God..."  
  
"Ah, yes. I think that should be enough. Remus..."  
  
The Spirit group left the office in complete silence. Once out of hearing range, John voiced their thoughts in a single sentence: "They don't trust us."  
  
"They don't have any reason to," James said sharply. "They don't know who we are. And look at what happened the last time they trusted someone..." His voice barely betrayed his bitterness. Lily put her hand on his arm and said softly, "That's why we're here. To make sure it doesn't happen again."  
  
The only problem was, Lily wasn't sure if she believed her own words.  
  
  
  
**Reviews:  
  
Tirzah:** I couldn't tell you that, could I? It'd spoil it. *Grin* Well, I'll tell you this much: he has some idea of what they _aren't_ saying and what it means, but doesn't know everything. Actually, he doesn't know a lot of things. But I've told you too much...  
  
**Kay:** It's doing that to me, too...don't know why, I've chosen "remember me", but it doesn't want to...thanks!   
  
**AngelOnFire:** It's a good thing you're fine...I was wondering if you'd had a seizure or something ^_^;; Thanks to you too!  
  
**Kaylin:** Interesting? It really isn't yet...there's a lot to come, a lot to write. And also a lot of plot bunnies to murder. And if I didn't keep writing, I'd die of a lack of writing...does that make sense?  
  
**Renai:** You know, I was staring at the screen about twenty minutes after I saw this...I couldn't believe it. That's my mind for you. The idea is completely and totally developed from The Bonds That Tie, but I've twisted a bunch around. Yours is better ^_^ 


	5. Marks of Oddity

**A/N:** Another round of Spirits...I really need a better title, suggestions are open. This chapter is somewhat short and not very adventurous, but you'll have some more action next time, so don't worry about that. People who have reviewed get brownie points, and the comments'll be at the bottom.  
Note: An important detail in Elana's short description in chapter 2 has been edited. It isn't very important right now, but I suggest that if you have already read it, to reread it for future reference.  
  
**Disclaimer:**Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please _e-mail_ me and we'll talk. _(I have so many good ideas for these...)_  
  
  
**Chapter 5: Marks of Oddity**  
  
The month before the term started was filled with preparations of all kinds. James, Lily, and Cedric had drawn up an elaborately planned schedule on guarding the outside of the grounds, and John, Margaret, and Anna had made one to rival theirs, only it was for the castle itself. They had developed the habit of using their psydonyms at all times as to avoid any suspicion.  
  
Because of the lack of duty (for which they would probably be chatised by Elana, but no one seemed to remember this), they had taken to haunting a particular spot by the edge of the forest. This was a stroke of genius by the youngest three: from it, they had a well-rounded view of the castle, and could claim to have been working if Elana chose to call (not that it would work, but it was a good idea all the same). In preparations, the students-to-be had also found some rather _interesting_ ways to pass their time. One of their favorites was a game of catch, with one little adjustment: the ball was made out of ice. Needless to say, this had been a collaborated idea between Margaret and Anna as a sort of revenge against their brother. It had developed into their pastime. There was only one slight problem with this...  
  
"If that ball hits me one more time..." Briana threatened. She had just taken her fifteenth hit to her head and was not particularly pleased."  
  
"What else are we supposed to do?" asked John, who flicked the small ball out of sight. "We've memorized our schedules, we have our things, we talked to Elena and Dumbledore..."  
  
Alex cocked his head thoughtfully. "It's the 31st...you can go to Kings Cross tomorrow."  
  
"And what's the point of going to a place that'll just bring us back here?" replied Anna, rolling her eyes.  
  
"It's something to do," he answered evenly.  
  
William was doing something that, if possible, was more odd than playing catch with the bit of ice: ripping out blades of grass one at a time.   
  
"There won't be any left if you keep at it," said Briana untactfully.  
  
"That's nice," he answered absently, continuing to tear out the grass. Briana sighed and shook her head.  
  
"Is there something that I've missed?" she questioned. "What's wrong?"  
  
She watched William thoughtfully as he abandoned the grass and looked upwards. "I don't know...but tomorrow, we'll be at Hogwarts, and all of _them_ will be there too, and they won't know who we are. It's like I'm letting them down again."  
  
Alex nodded in agreement. "We can't tell them, but it's almost like we need to, because there's no other way for them to understand."  
  
They let their thoughts flit between themselves, forgetting their boredom. The thoughts weren't quite clear but were far clear enough to be understandable. None of them knew exactly what to do, what they should do, or how to keep their secrets. It was enough to drive anyone mad, which was exactly what was starting to happen.   
  
The 'flitting' of their thoughts was oddly relaxing, until Alex chanced a look at Anna and Margaret, who had switched from playing catch to juggling.  
  
"What the...what are you _doing?_?"  
  
"Juggling?" said the two girls in unison, voices clear and innocent.   
  
"That's it," said John. "_Stop._"  
  
John seemed to have some amount of control over his sisters, because they stopped abruptly, though not without a large handful of glares. For William and Briana, it was oddly remincing of Sirius and his own little sister, Cassiopeia. Not that it was quite proper to think of the similarities, but it was almost as if their personalities had been reborn and switched. But their positions...  
  
_"Not the time to think about that,"_ murmured Alex. _"Being found out is not something we'd like right now."_  
  
"Then speak out loud, for heaven's sake," Briana retorted. She was getting increasingly sarcastic, not a positive thing.  
  
Perhaps it was only nature, but there had been increasing tenseness and terseness for the three eldest, and some amount of it for John. John and Briana snapped at almost every remark, while Alex and William spent their time in pure silence. They lay in between anger and indifference, tottering on one side and then the other. At the least, it was tiring; at the most, painful.  
  
To break the awkward silences that seemed to come too often, Dumbledore decided to, as Briana would put it for anyone else, "Grace us with his presence." In a way, the fact that he had come in person was something they were all thankful for; mind-speaking was a little awkward, and also showed he put enough trust into them for their newest task to work. In fact, there was something particularly odd with the trust he had put into them...  
  
"Ah, yes," he said as he approached them. His sparkle was slightly darkened, but was visible all the same. "I believe there is an meeting of the Order today...and it would most likely be best if you three were to come. There is a slight matter of...ah..._trust_..."  
  
Briana and William instinctively turned and stared.   
  
The Order he spoke of was the Order of Pheonix, a small group of wizards working independantly against Voldemort. The choosing of members was very, very select and the group totalled fifteen at most. Briana and William both had been in the Order for nearly five years, and knew enough about it to know that random people on their own side were not invited to meetings. Alexander was casting his gaze from Dumbledore to the two, and back to Dumbledore once more. To no apparent surprise, the man seemed completely unsurprised and slightly amused. It was his general nature, which they knew without reading him; it would have been impossible to read Albus Dumbledore anyway.  
  
"That would be fine, sir," Alex said finally, trying--and failing--to regain control. Once more, the old man had a hint of amusement hidden in his eyes, which again went unnoticed in their fight to regain composure.  
  
"Albus is fine," he replied, leaving the three more confused than ever. Dumbledore--or rather, Albus--very rarely asked near-complete strangers to call him by his first name. Even Margaret and Anna looked at him curiously.  
  
For some reason, his eyes were still sparkling brightly. There was obviously something that they didn't understand. As they followed him back to the castle for the meeting, they exchanged occasional looks of surprised shock, most reading something along the lines of _what in the world is going_on_?_  
  
  
**Reviews:  
  
Renai:** I couldn't tell you that, could I? XD Sirius and Remus will be further involved later. The person to watch right now is Elana...but that'd spoil the next chapter! Romance isn't going to play too big of a part in this, because I'm very bad at writing it...but you'll be seeing the other two somewhere along the line. If I ever finish this.  
  
**AngelOnFire:** Yes, I do update...because of you. I hope you don't get seizures, don't think that'd be fun. I don't know about the tantrum...and you can find a lot to say. Sometimes. ^_^;;  
  
**suger:** So that's why you're never online anymore? *Growl* 'Course, I happened to forget your e-mail...eep. Wait, it'd be in your bio. I hope. Anyway, Lilia, thanks. 


	6. Unreachable Explanation

**A/N:** First chapter not composed in the main body...doesn't matter much though. Upon request, I'm posting the character listings:  
**Briana** is Lily.  
**William** is James.  
**Alexander** is Cedric.  
Nothing much else to say really...except that if you're interested in continuing to read this, you should take very careful note of some of the things said in this chapter. Not very detailed, this chapter, but I wasn't quite sure how to potray the Order at this point...it'll get more detailed later on. And argg...I'm becoming much too dependent on OCs...but there's no one else to use, so it doesn't matter. Oh, and one last thing: lots of brownie points to anyone who figures out what's with Elana and Dumbledore.  
  
**Disclaimer:** Joanne Rowling owns all things that have been previously mentioned in her series. I myself own the idea of Spirits and Roamers, and any OCs that come up (a majority of the main characters, as a general rule, were already dead). If you wish to use any of the themes mentioned, please _e-mail_ me and we'll talk.  
  
  
**Chapter Six: Unreachable Explanation**  
  
Briana, William and Alex had a slight start when they were joined by Elana at gargoyle marking the entrance to Dumbledore's office. She had a slight frown on her face, which was usually present only when she was in deep thoughts, and confusing ones at that. Their shock would have been considerably larger if they had not been so lost in their own thoughts. Also, if they had been a little more aware of their surroundings, they would have noticed Albus noting Elana with slight surprise mixed into his character They were met in the office by an odd assortment of people, mainly familiar. Arabella Figg and Mundungus Fletcher sat at a new table in the middle of the room, next to Remus and a cloaked figure who could only be Sirius. Their gazes turned immediately; all were old friends and this wasn't quite the condition in which they would have appreciated a reunion. Also there were Bill and Charlie Weasley, engorged in conversation, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape, both looking slightly out of place and a woman of thirty by the name of Cassiopeia Black. None seemed too comfortable with their arrival; Bill, Charlie, and Cassiopeia looked slightly surprised, and the others had matching eyes of suspicion--not that this was a surprise.   
  
They joined their fellows at the oval-shaped table, amidst more suspicion. Briana and William had absently took what had been their former seats, causing slight glares from Arabella, Mundungus, Remus, and the still-cloaked Sirius and more amusement from Albus. Alex was now gazing absently at the ceiling; the more he thought, the more likely it was becoming for him to get confused. Elana still had a hard gaze fixed on Albus.  
  
The man had barely opened his mouth to speak when Elana let out a silent gasp and stared at him in blank shock. Briana, William, and Alex whipped around, and were met with one of the strangest sights they had seen in a long time: Elana, pale and almost _frightened_, and Albus' amused look still gracing his features.  
  
"Is there a problem, my child?" he said, earning odd looks from most of the members of the room, particularly the other three Spirits.  
  
Elana seemed as if she was too shocked to speak, but finally regained some of her bearings. "But...you said that...the first one...and we wouldn't..._how_?"  
  
The entire room was in a state of bewilderment. If anything, this had been far from expected. The ones who knew Elana had never seen her in such a state, and none of the others had expected that they would have known each other. The amusement on his face was yet to fade.  
  
"I suppose that must have slipped my mind, didn't it?" he replied. This did not hold any comfort; she remained white. "I believe I can give you an explanation _later_," he continued. Elana couldn't bring herself to do anything more than nod slowly. The rest of the Order was, in a matter of speaking, lost.  
  
"What in the world is going on?" muttered Arabella.  
  
"That'd be nice to know," replied Briana dryly. Arabella ignored her.  
  
"The _meeting_," she said pointedly. She had edged her way into a pseudo-control, as Briana was prone to do.  
  
"Ah, yes," said Albus, twinkle slowly fading. "Our meeting." He cleared his throat, and attention turned back to him.  
  
"As I believe most of you have realized," he began, "We have four new members, at least temporarily." His words were met with wary gazes. "And there is a fifth who's identity must be revealed." He looked around the room slowly before continuing. "Anything said or revealed in this room must strictly _stay_ here." His gaze turned to the still cloaked Sirius, who let out a faint sigh and removed it.  
  
The only reaction that would be painful was Minerva's, who paled slightly before turning to Albus and giving a look that demanded explanation. Arabella and Mundungus were on their feet, ready to give defense if necessary, and the rest were remarkably indifferent--particularly Elana, who didn't seem to have noticed and had not yet removed her eyes from Albus, not looking particularly as if she would be doing so in the next few hundred years. Remus, however, was gazing at the people who had once been his friends and his student. His eyes, hard and cold, met Alex's, who looked back in acted confusion. His former professor was no closer to trusting them than he had been at their first meeting.  
  
"Minvera, I believe I will explain later..." Her expression was somewhat annoyed, as it was quite obvious that everyone else understood the matter plainly. "And now that this is settled," Albus said, glancing around in a way that was that was slightly disconcerting, "We have other matters to attend to..."  
  
The meeting was near identical to those from memory. While there was more focus on contacting than on persuasion on switching sides, some things could never change: the conversations revolving both on their work and on their lives, the sarcasm that only they could find humorous, and the unspoken, bittersweet memories that were never spoken of, though they were always there. Their was only one noticeable, though very painful, and it was the lack of contact of the former friends. It had never really crossed their minds that something of this sort would happen, but they could have known. They _should_ have known.   
  
"I hate him, I hate him, I _hate him_," Briana chanted icily under her breath. "Both of them. _All_ of them."  
  
"Join the club," Alex said, shaking his head. "I think everyone in here feels the same way." They were supposed to be writing letters of explanation, but there had never been any problems with talking over the work. "The We-Hate-Voldemort-and-His-Rat Fanclub..."  
  
William and Briana were immediately consumed by silent laughter. Cassiopeia and Arabella, who had both in within hearing distance, tried--and failed--to hide their amusement. Once again, the only one who stayed an outsider was Remus (Sirius, due to whatever sort of God there may have been, had not heard); he was now looking at them harder than ever before. It was, in a matter of speaking, disconcerting, and was probably the reason why William swore under his breath.   
  
_"Any problems?"_ Elana murmured. She had been doing her best to act normally, though it was quite easy to see something was bothering her.  
  
_"Not really,"_ Briana muttered back. Elana studied her, but said nothing. She didn't need to; like Dumbledore, she easily could figure out what was left unsaid.  
  
The meeting progressed, optimism with it. The familiarity of the meeting was somehow more comfortable than the familiarity of Hogwarts; it was unexplainable, but instinctive. While the lack of comfort with their old friends was continuously unsettling, Alex was an enjoyable companion. And while their was no way to replace old friends, Alex had filled in a gap that had opened in both Briana and William's lives, the gap of geniune friendship.   
  
As a matter of fact, with the happiness being so quick to resurface, the meeting was over remarkably fast. The rest of the Order was quick to leave, and Elana and Dumbledore disappeared to somewhere or another, but Alex, William, and Briana remained--and so did Cassiopeia.  
  
The all too familiar silence returned to the room, glances flying in a random way between them. Cassiopeia cleared her throat, face determined. She had been, after all, like a younger version of Sirius, as they had all said so many times...but now she was one of a kind.  
  
"You're going to be watching over Hogwarts." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Briana nodded slowly. "Elana decided to delegate us," she replied, without any explanation. However, it didn't seem to be needed. Elana had somehow gained the trust of everyone in the Order without a second thought; not quite a surprise, considering, but it probably had something to do with the mystery between her and Dumbledore. The young woman looked around once more before holding out her hand. "You can call me Cassie," she said, as Briana shook it.  
  
"Briana, Alex, and William," she said in return.   
  
Cassie took a final look around, which was starting to cause a bit of wonder, before exiting the room. The trio, alone once more, stood in another round of silence before William spoke.  
  
"We should get back..."  
  
The departure was somewhat stranger than the arrival, walking quickly without a single look around. There was a new kind of silence that had descended upon them, the silence of thought. Nothing was quite liable to make sense in this old, yet new place...and their explanations weren't quite fitting.  
  


***

  
  
"Explain."  
  
Both Elana and Albus had disappeared into a back room that, most likely, was unknown to all others. They stood next to each other, a similarity between the two almost unexplainable, all held in their eyes. Elana's, a deep blue-green, met those of Albus, light blue. The woman was, by all means, trying to penetrate the wall Albus had built around himself, to no avail.  
  
"Are you sure you haven't realized?" asked Albus, eyes sparkling with something that wasn't quite joy. "I do remember you had a knack for things of this sort." Had Elana not been so preoccupied, she would have very well noticed something akin to pain and almost_ longing_.  
  
"Not half as much as I'd like to," she replied. "I'd never thought I'd see this...such old friends do _not_ make appearences on a regular basis."  
  
For a few seconds, Albus looked as if he would tear down any façade he had ever held. The look was broken with a sigh, and his eyes were, if anything, more painful than before.  
  
"I'd guess it's best to start at the beginning..."  
  
  
**Reviews:  
  
AngelOnFire:** Yeah, I've put up a list for this chapter...I'll be doing that for awhile, just in case. You do? *Reddish* Wow...the Neopets games are annoying, aren't they? They go up and down and hit the ground...and then they go evil on you when the giant mutant Chias attack...*grin*  
  
**Renai:** Brownie points to you for figuring that much out...but this matter is a whole lot more complicated than the taboos. I won't give any more away yet, but watch those two. They're going to be _very_ important... 


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